Wire-twisting apparatus



A. SWANBAUM WIRE TWI STING APPARATUS Dec. 9, 1930.

Filed Feb.

, fizz/927%; (Ziberi 5 baa 7 W a A 4 4 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES ALBERT SWANBAUM, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA I WIRE-TWISTING' APPARATUS Application filed February 14, 1929. Serial No. 339,835.

This invention relates to improvements in fence making machinery and particularly to improvements in drive mechanism for the twister heads. In machines of this type twister heads are provided through which the upper and lower strands of the fence wire are fed and which cooperate with the cross strands to twist the ends thereof and secure them to the upper and lower strands. It

is necessary to provide drive mechanism which will intermittently rotate the twister heads through a predetermined distance and stop them in definite positions.

In a prior construction a drive from a continuously rotating power shaft has been changed by a pawl and ratchet device to an intermittent rotation of a spindle shaft which is geared to the twister heads. In such construction the connection between the continuously rotating crank disc on the power shaft and the pawl for operating the ratchet has consisted of a jointed connecting rod but it has been found that such connection causes a jerking motion and results in excessive lost motion. Furthermore, it has been necessary to use a pair of brakes on the spindle shaft in order to stop the twister heads in correct position to receive the next picket wire.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide an improved drive means which will connect the continuously rotating power shaft to the pawl and ratchet device by smoothly operating parts whereby the jerky motion is eliminated and the possibility of overrun is decreased allowing the tightness of the brakes on the spindle shaft to be lessened and resulting in an increased speed and efiicient operation of the machine.

- It is an object of my invention to connect the pawl to a pinion gear which is in engagement with a slidable rack operated by a single connecting rod from the crank disc on the power shaft.

Further objects and advantages of my improved construction will be more readily apparent as the invention is more fully described in connection with the attached drawings in which 59 The single figure is a perspective view of a portion of the fencemakin'g machine and the drive 'mechanism' for operating the twister heads.

In the drawings I show a pair oftwister heads 1 and 2 through which the upper and lower strands 3 and 4 of the wire fence are intermittently fed. Cross picket wires 5 are secured to the upperand lower strand-s 3 and 4 by twisted ends '6 and 7. The twisted ends 6 and? are formed by the rotationof the twister heads 1 and 2. A bevel gear 8 is secured to an extension of the twister head 1 and meshes with a bevel gear 9 which is rotated together with bevel gear 10, meshing with bevel gear 11, secured to a transverse spindle shaft 12. The twister head 2 is similarly driven through bevel gears 13, 14:, 15and 16 from the spindle shaft 12. The spindle shaft 12 is journalled in bearings lr'and 18 secured to brackets 19 which may form a part of the frame of the machine. At one end of the spindle shaft 12 is keyed a pinion gear 20, which meshes with a gear 21, keyed to a countershaft 22; also secured to countershaft 22 is a pinion gear 23 meshing with gear 24 on an intermediate shaft 25. Upon the shaft 25 is mounted a three-tooth ratchet 26 and an outside pinion gear 27. A pivoted pawl 28 adapted to engagethe ratchet 26, the pawl beingmounted onpivot pin 29 which is held by an extension from the pinion gear 27. Suitable guide brackets 30 and 31 are provided for a rack gear 32. On the rack 32 is mounted a pivot pin 33 to which'a connecting rod 3% is pivoted. T he connecting rod 34 is also secured by pivot pin 35 to a crank disc 36 which is keyed to the power shaft 37. I also show spring-pressed brakes 38 and 39 frictionally engaging the spindle shaft 12. V y

In the operation of my drive mechanism it is apparent thatthe continuous rotation of thecrank disc'will cause alternate reciprocation of thecrank gearf32 in opposite directions through the movement of connecting rod 34. The rack32 during its alternate reciprocation will cause'an alternate andopposite rotation of the pinion 27 and, therefore, causethe pawl 28 to intermittently engage the ratchet 26 and feed the spindle shaft r 12 through the intermediate gearing. There fore, the twister heads 1 and 2 will be given a positive intermittent'rotation through a device for changing the movement of the rotary means to alternate and opposite recipr0- cations in a lineal path, and a device for definite and predetermined distance. The provision of the slidable rack eliminates the possibility of a jerky" motion previously caused by the formerly-used two-part connecting rod, .The tightness of the brakes 38 and 39 maytherefore-be lessened and the nectingpthe rotary means with the twister head s, said connecting means comprising a device for changing the movement of therotary means to alternaterand opposite recipro cationsin a lineal path, and a device forv changing such reciprocations-to intermittent rotation in one direction.

2. A wire twisting apparatus comprising, in combination, a plurality of twister heads constructed and arranged for intermediate rotation in the same direction, rotary means for driving the twister heads, and means connectingithe rotary means withcthe twister heads, said connecting means comprising a I changing such reciprocations to alternate and "inent of the slidable member, said spindle shaft being geared to the plurality of twister heads. v V t- 5 A wire twisting apparatus comprising,

- opposite rotation, together with adevice forchanging" such rotation to intermittent rotation 111 one direction.

3. A wire twisting apparatus comprising,

in cornbination,' aplurality of twister heads, a continuously rotatingcrank wheel for imintermittently turning said shaft'a definite and pro-determined distance, said means comprising a crank wheel, a slidable member alternately moved in opposite directions in a linearpath, said slidable member being actuated from said crank wheel, means operatively connecting the slidable member to the spindle shaft whereby said shaft is intermittently turned in one direction by movementof the slidable member in opposite directions, and a plurality of twister heads connected to the spindle shaft and adapted to be intermittently rotated thereby.

, a Si ned. at Duluth,

Minnesota, this Sthday r929. P ALBERT SWAN BAUM' parting movement to the twister heads, a sl dable rack, a connecting rod from the crank wheel to the slidable rack, a pinion meshing with the-,rack,'a-pawl operatedvby the pinion, a ratchet intermittently operated by the pawl, and a spindle shaft geared to the twister heads and intermittently turned through the operationofthe ratchet.

wiret-wisting apparatus comprising, 1n combination, a plurality of twisterheads, 'means for intermittently turning thetwister heads adefinite'and predetermined distance in the same direction,- said means comprising a crank wheel,;a slidable member alternately moved in oppositedirections in a linear'fpath,

said slidable member being actuated fronr said crank wheeha spindle shafts intermittently turned in one "direction by the movein-combination, a spindle shaft,-meansvfor t ism 

